IN IRAQ, SPC ELI ISRAEL PLEDGES TO RESIST WAR

On June 19, Army Spc Eleonai “Eli” Israel put himself at great personal risk by making
the courageous decision to refuse further participation in the U.S. occupation of Iraq.
The 26-year-old from Arlington, Virginia told his command that he will no longer be a
combatant in this illegal, unjustified war. Eli believes that the U.S. government used the
attacks of September 11, 2001 as a pretense to invade Iraq and that “we are now
violating the people of this country (Iraq) in ways that we would never accept on our
own soil.” Eli is stationed at Camp Victory in Baghdad with JVB Bravo Company,
1-149 Infantry of the Kentucky Army National Guard and intends to seek a discharge
as a conscientious objector.

Yesterday, June 20, Eli’s urgent message from Baghdad buzzed around the Internet:

“I have told them that I will no longer play a ‘combat role’ in this conflict or ‘protect
corporate representatives,’ and they have taken this as ‘violating a direct order.’ I may
be in jail or worse in the next 24 hours. Please rally whoever you can, call whoever you
can, bring as much attention to this as you can. I have no doubt that the military will
bury me and hide the whole situation if they can. I'm in big trouble. I'm in the middle
of Iraq, surrounded by people who are not on my side. Please help me. Please
contact whoever you can, and tell them who I am, so I don't ‘disappear.’“

After receiving support and advice from a number of organizations, including Courage
to Resist and Iraq Veterans Against the War, Eli has sent this update today (June 21):

“Thank you for your support. I am currently 'OK', thanks in no small part I'm sure to
the voices that have spoken up in the name of peace. I don't know what the military's
next steps are going to be, but my deeply held beliefs prevent me from participating in
this or any other war....

“I have been in Iraq for over a year. I have served in combat. I have been awarded the
Combat Infantry Badge, for my actions in Combat. I have been recommended for
other medals, that I will now probably never see (nor do I want)....

“It would have been a lot "easier" for me to simply keep doing combat missions for a
couple more weeks, and be done with things. Moral convictions are not based on
timing or convenience, and I thank all of you for your being here for me now.”

Over the last few months Eli has been blogging from Iraq via MySpace to friends about
his experiences. His MySpace tag line proclaims, "I have seen 'war', and I want no part
of it." No doubt that it was voices such as his that led the Army to crack down on
“unauthorized” military bloggers recently—and ban MySpace altogether from military
networks.

We need to do everything we can to ensure that the Army respects Eli's rights and
does not illegally retaliate against him.

For more info, visit http://www.couragetoresist.org/x/content/view/317/82

ACTION
Contact Eli’s senator Mitch McConnell to ensure that his rights are respected.
Senator Mitch McConnell
361-A Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2541. Fax: (202) 224-2499
Web Form: mcconnell.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm